Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Social Media Toolkit - March 2018 - George ...
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Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Social Media Toolkit
March 2018Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Social Media Toolkit
March 2018
CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT................................................................................................................................................. 2
WHO SHOULD USE THIS TOOLKIT?.......................................................................................................................... 2
WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH? .................................................................................... 2
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS ........................................................................................................................................ 3
TWITTER BEST PRACTICES ......................................................................................................................................... 3
FACEBOOK BEST PRACTICES .................................................................................................................................... 3
BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMUNICATING ABOUT COLORECTAL CANCER ..................................................... 3
1. Address misperceptions and fears around the test ...................................................................................... 4
2. Feature testimonies of those who have been screened .............................................................................. 4
3. Provide information including alternative screening options ..................................................................... 4
SAMPLE TWEETS AND FACEBOOK POSTS ............................................................................................................. 5
OTHER IDEAS TO PROMOTE COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS .................................................................. 8
Best Practices for Engagement Events and Activities ........................................................................................ 10
MEASURING SUCCESS .............................................................................................................................................. 10
ADDITIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES ................................................................................................................ 11
GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................................................. 13
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This work was supported by Cooperative Agreement #1U38DP004972-05 from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 1ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT Don’t have the time or capacity
to implement this toolkit? Don’t
This toolkit is designed to help public health professionals establish
a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month social media strategy, fret! You can still engage your
manage social media accounts, implement Facebook and Twitter audience by retweeting
best practices, disseminate Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month messages from @GWCancer
messaging and evaluate their social media efforts.
WHO SHOULD USE THIS TOOLKIT?
Public health professionals, cancer control professionals, coalitions, community-based organizations and
stakeholders can all use this toolkit and adapt its messaging for their unique audiences and areas of
expertise.
WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH?
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness of the disease and
fundraise for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and cure as well as to
support those affected by colorectal cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer
killer in the U.S. (CDC, 2015). Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month begins on March 1st and ends on March
31st.
SOCIAL MEDIA 101
According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, “69% of online
adults use some type of social media.” (Pew Research Center,
2017). In addition, a 2014 study found that nearly 75% of adults Looking for more in-depth info
use social media to discuss health (Fox, 2014). on social media channels and
communication strategy?
Social media represents a unique opportunity to reach a large Check out our Media Planning
audience of both consumers and professionals. It is more and Media Relations Guide or
important than ever that online medical and health information is
our other social media toolkits.
“trustworthy, engaging, and accessible to digitally empowered
consumers” (Hootsuite, n.d., p. 2).
When designing and thinking about your social media strategy,
consider your audience, the channel(s) you want to use, your objective(s), or what you are trying to achieve,
as well as how you will measure success. Remember that your social media activities should ultimately
support your organization’s goals (Hootsuite, n.d.).
Looking to establish a social media strategy for your organization or make the case for why it’s important?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers “SocialMediaWorks,” an online step-by-step tool to
create and establish a social media strategy. The site also offers pre-tested and effective messages as well
as evaluation strategies, tools and templates.
Remember to tailor messaging to your target audience or audiences. Your organization offers unique
strengths and expertise; make sure to capitalize on them to make your campaign effective.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 2SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
“CDC uses social media to provide
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and
users with access to credible,
more: Social media is growing every day, along with opportunities
science-based information…A
for outreach.
variety of social media tools are used
to reinforce and personalize
TWITTER BEST PRACTICES messages, reach new audiences and
build a communication infrastructure
• Keep Tweets short, below the 280 character limit. This based on open information
allows other users to Retweet while adding their own
exchange” (CDC, 2015a)
comments. Note that @names no longer count toward the
280 character limit on Twitter.
• Add photos or videos. Adding a photo boosts Retweets by
62% on average (Twitter Government and Elections Team,
2014).
• Tweet at author or organizational Twitter handles when possible. Note that Tweets that begin with a
username will now reach all your followers, but they will be categorized as "replies." If you want the
Tweet to be seen on your timeline, use the ".@" convention at the beginning.
• Twitter, Tweetdeck, Sprout Social and Hootsuite all have options to shorten links as you write
Tweets. Other options for shortening links are provided under Additional Tools and Resources.
• Promote engagement with other organizations by liking or Retweeting their content. You can even
add your own comment before Retweeting.
• Be responsive and recognize Retweets, @ mentions and when others share your content. It doesn’t
take much, but a simple “thank you” goes a long way toward building engagement.
• Remember that Tweets cannot be edited once they are posted, so proofread before you post!
FACEBOOK BEST PRACTICES
• Shorter posts (around 250 characters) get up to 60% more distribution than longer posts (CDC, n.d.).
• Use photos or videos to make your posts stand out. Posts with photos receive up to 50% more likes
than non-photo posts (Hershkowitz & Lavrusik, 2013). However, be aware of Facebook’s policies
about what can be posted and identifying people in photos without consent (CDC, n.d.).
• Use a conversational tone and explain to your audience why the content should matter to them
(Hershkowitz & Lavrusik, 2013).
• Posts that start conversations by asking questions and responding receive approximately 70%
above-average engagement (Hershkowitz & Lavrusik, 2013).
• Vary your post type. Users don’t engage the same way with every post (Hershkowitz & Lavrusik,
2013).
• Track your results and act on them. Facebook offers analytic data that you can use to find out what
posts are being “liked” or shared and which ones aren’t. Focus your efforts on what is working (CDC,
n.d.).
BEST PRACTICES FOR COMMUNICATING ABOUT COLORECTAL CANCER
Screening continues to be a proven tool to reduce the burden of colorectal cancer in the U.S. However,
according to the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), barriers to screening still remain,
including: affordability, lack of symptoms, no family history or personal connection, more pressing health
issues, negative perceptions about the test, no regular primary care provider to reinforce messaging and/or
a doctor who does not recommend screening (NCCRT, 2015). Physicians can address these barriers by
providing relevant screening information to patients, while health communicators can help overcome
resistance to screening by using survivor stories to make their messages personal (NCCRT, 2015).
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 3The NCCRT (2015) found that the most effective messages:
1. “Address misperceptions and fears around the test;
2. Feature testimonies from those who have been screened; and
3. Provide patients with the information and knowledge they need, including potential alternative
screening solutions, to feel prepared and responsible about the process and results” (p. 13).
When crafting materials and messages to encourage screening, both high- and low-health-literacy
audiences benefit from simple messages and illustrations (Meppelink, Buurman, & van Weert, 2015).
Consider making your messages and content shareable, as Cutrona et al. (2013) found that many adults are
willing to share their screening experiences via email or other e-communication such as social media.
MESSAGES SHOULD…
1. Address misperceptions and fears around the test
• Individuals may not be aware of or understand the benefits of screening for colorectal cancer (Jones,
Devers, Kuzel & Woolf ,2010; Nagelhout, Comarell, Samadder & Wu, 2017). Promote the benefits of
screening.
• Fear of test results are a commonly cited barrier to screening (Jones, Devers, Kuzel & Woolf ,2010;
Nagelhout, Comarell, Samadder & Wu, 2017). Address these fears in your messaging.
• Other barriers to being screened include an aversion to colonoscopy due to past sexual abuse or
homophobia and the perception that screening procedures are embarrassing (Rohan, Boehm,
DeGroff, Glover-Kudon, & Priessle, 2013; Weaver, Ellis, Denizard-Thompson, Kronner & Miller,
2015). Promote messages that shift social norms and normalize colorectal cancer screening.
• Ensure messages have a positive, reassuring tone and emphasize that screening is “worth it”
(Weaver et al., 2015).
2. Feature testimonies of those who have been screened
• Use culturally appropriate and diverse testimonials to reach underserved and underrepresented
populations, particularly those with lower screening rates like African Americans (NCCRT, 2015).
• Use testimonials with cancer patients to increase perceived severity of colon cancer, which is
associated with getting screened (Lipkus, Green & Marcus, 2003).
• Make testimonial messages and information emotionally interesting, or vivid, as this is strongly
associated with knowledge and behavioral intention to get screened (Dillard & Main, 2013).
3. Provide information including alternative screening options
• Promote multiple screening options such as fecal immunochemical test (FIT), high-sensitivity fecal
occult blood testing (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
• Highlight screening options that can be done at home to address a variety of barriers (NCCRT,
2015).
• Provide information about affordable screening options to encourage “consumers to take control of
their health, while addressing concerns about affordability” (NCCRT, 2015, p. 15).
• Point consumers to supporting materials, visuals, and reliable, accurate sources of information such
as trusted websites or physicians.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 4SAMPLE TWEETS AND FACEBOOK POSTS
Date Tweets Facebook Posts Message
Category
Thu March is #ColorectalCancerMonth! March is Colorectal Cancer Month! Colorectal cancer is 3
3/1 #ColorectalCancer occurs in the colon or cancer that occurs in the colon or rectum. It is the second
rectum. Read more: http://bit.ly/2fVWYsV leading cancer killer in the U.S., but it doesn't have to be.
Read more: http://bit.ly/2fVWYsV
Fri There’s more than one way to screen for There are several different ways to screen for polyps or 3
3/2 polyps or #ColorectalCancer: colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer screening is
http://bit.ly/2gh6fB4 Talk to your doctor for recommended for men and women aged 50 and older.
more info Talk to your doctor about which test is right for you:
http://bit.ly/2gh6fB4
Mon Screening for #ColorectalCancer saves Screening for colorectal cancer saves lives. It can detect 2
3/5 lives. Learn more from actor Jimmy Smits precancerous polyps before they become cancer. Find
http://bit.ly/2fVi0ZZ out why Jimmy Smits got screened and you should too:
http://bit.ly/2fVi0ZZ
Tue Risk factors for #ColorectalCancer include You may be more at risk for colorectal cancer if you have 3
3/7 family history, inflammatory bowel disease a personal history of polyps, inflammatory bowel disease,
& certain genetic syndromes: certain genetic syndromes or a family history of colorectal
http://bit.ly/2f0ioo3 cancer. Read more and talk to your doctor about getting
screened: http://bit.ly/2f0ioo3
Wed Limiting alcohol intake & keeping a healthy Leading a healthy lifestyle by limiting alcohol intake and 3
3/8 weight may lower your risk of keeping a healthy weight may lower your risk of
#ColorectalCancer. Read more: colorectal cancer. Read more: http://bit.ly/2ezucm4
http://bit.ly/2ezucm4
Thu @the_NCI's #ColorectalCancer Risk The National Cancer Institute's Colorectal Cancer Risk 3
3/9 Assessment Tool allows you to estimate Assessment Tool helps people age 50 and older estimate
your risk for #colorectal #cancer: their risk of colorectal cancer. Calculate your risk and talk
http://bit.ly/2f4nd2V to your doctor for more information: http://bit.ly/2f4nd2V
Fri Did you know? Black individuals are more Did you know? Black individuals are more likely to get 2
3/10 likely to get & die from #ColorectalCancer and die from colorectal cancer than any other
than any other race/ethnicity, but screening race/ethnicity. Screening can help reduce disparities.
can reduce your risk: http://bit.ly/2f4fr9h Find out more from Terrance Howard:
http://bit.ly/2f4fr9h
Mon Listen to @DrFrieden discussing Listen to the former CDC Director, Dr. Frieden, 3
3/12 #ColonCancer and the importance of discussing colon cancer and the importance of finding it
finding it early: http://bit.ly/2Bvahwy early: http://bit.ly/2Bvahwy. There are several life-saving
screening options, even at-home tests. Talk to your
doctor for more information
Tue #ColorectalCancer screening saves lives, Colorectal cancer screening saves lives, but only if you 3
3/13 but only if you get tested. Listen to this get tested. If you’re 50 or older, talk with your doctor
podcast for more: http://bit.ly/2fYJ0bk about which test is best for you. Listen to this podcast for
more information: http://bit.ly/2fYJ0bk
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 5SAMPLE TWEETS AND FACEBOOK POSTS (CONTINUED)
Date Tweets Facebook Posts Message
Category
Wed There are several ways to get screened for Did you know there are several ways to get screened for 3
3/14 #ColorectalCancer, including simple take- colorectal cancer, including a take-home option? Talk to
home options. Talk to your doc about your doctor about getting screened:
getting screened: http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR
Thu Do you know the facts about What is NCI working on when it comes to colorectal 3
3/15 #ColorectalCancer? Get the basics from cancer? Get the basic facts and some info on research
@theNCI: http://bit.ly/2fFvBEh that’s being done to fight colorectal cancer:
http://bit.ly/2fFvBEh
Fri Most insurance plans and #Medicare help Getting screened for #ColorectalCancer doesn't have to 1
3/16 pay for #ColorectalCancer screening for break the bank! Most insurance plans and #Medicare
people aged 50 and older: help pay for #ColorectalCancer screening for people
http://bit.ly/2fVmb80 aged 50 and older. Find out more: http://bit.ly/2fVmb80
Mon Recognizing #cancer signs & symptoms & Can you recognize cancer signs and symptoms? Learn 1
3/19 early detection save lives: how early detection saves lives and talk to your doctor to
http://bit.ly/2gh6fB4 #PreventCancer decide which screening tests are right for you:
http://bit.ly/2gh6fB4
Tue #Cancer affects some groups more than Cancer continues to affect some groups more than 3
3/20 others. We can spread the word about why others. Take a moment to get educated about the basics
it matters: http://bit.ly/2kNnabF of cancer disparities and why it matters for cancer
#PreventCancer prevention: http://bit.ly/2kNnabF
Wed Preventing #ColonCancer or finding it early Preventing colon cancer, or finding it early, doesn't have 1
3/21 doesn't have to be expensive. There are to be expensive. There are simple, affordable tests
simple, affordable tests available. Talk to available. Get screened! Call your doctor today!
your doc! http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR
Thu Joyce from DC says #ColorectalCancer Joyce from Washington, DC says: "In 1992, my husband 2
3/22 screening is "a small price to pay for and sister were diagnosed with colon cancer. They died
enjoying the rest of my life." Read more within four months of each other...I get a colonoscopy
from @CDCgov: http://bit.ly/2f0mtbC regularly. I'm 71 and have had at least four of them. The
first two times, I had polyps which were painlessly
removed during the procedure. Do I enjoy the prep? No
way. But I see it as a small price to pay for enjoying the
rest of my life. The procedure itself has always been
painless, and afterwards I have gone out with friends to a
film or a walk, or gone back to work. I am passionate
about people getting a colonoscopy. I check with my
friends regularly to see if they are up-to-date on their
exams. I don't want to lose anyone else needlessly." Read
more personal stories here: http://bit.ly/2f0mtbC
Fri Colonoscopy isn't the only way to get Colonoscopy isn't the only way to get screened for 3
3/23 #ColorectalCancer screening. Read more colorectal cancer. Your doctor can even give you a kit for
about your options & talk to your doc: you to take and use at home! Read more and talk to your
http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR doctor: http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 6SAMPLE TWEETS AND FACEBOOK POSTS (CONTINUED)
Date Tweets Facebook Posts Message
Category
Mon Talking to your doctor about Screening for colorectal cancer is recommended for men 1
3/26 #ColorectalCancer screening can be and women starting at age 50. Talking to your doctor can
daunting. Here are some questions to ask: sometimes be daunting and confusing. Here is a
http://bit.ly/2fVrXqb brochure to help take charge of your health care:
http://bit.ly/2fVrXqb
Tue #ColorectalCancer is the 2nd leading Why should you get screened for colorectal cancer when 1
3/27 cancer killer in the US, but it can be you don't have symptoms? The fact is, colorectal cancer
prevented. Talk to your doc about doesn't always cause symptoms, especially early on. Find
screening: http://bit.ly/2fXqUsd it early by getting screened. Talk to your doctor for more
information http://bit.ly/2fXqUsd
Wed Screening finds polyps so they can be If there were a way for you to prevent cancer, would you 2
3/28 removed before they turn into do it? Colorectal cancer is one you can prevent!
#ColorectalCancer http://bit.ly/2ghexbZ Screening finds polyps so they can be removed before
they turn into colorectal cancer. Talk to your doctor about
screening that's right for you http://bit.ly/2ghexbZ
Thu Actress Meryl Streep says, “There is so Meryl Streep discusses the importance of colorectal 2
3/29 much in life we can’t control. But here’s cancer screening for men and women aged 50 and older.
something we can: colorectal cancer.” She talks about getting screened herself and urges
http://bit.ly/2oKp5ov others to do the same.
http://bit.ly/2oKp5ov
Fri Look out for your grandparents by making Your grandparents look out for you. Look out for them, 3
3/30 sure they get screened for too! Make sure they get screened for colorectal cancer.
#ColorectalCancer. Refer them here: Refer them here for more information:
http://bit.ly/2eFW2Nc http://bit.ly/2eFW2Nc
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 7OTHER IDEAS TO PROMOTE COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS
Host or Participate in a Twitter Chat or Twitterview
Twitter chats are a great way to expand your audience and promote engagement with other partners and
organizations. You can organize a Twitter chat yourself or simply participate in another one. Twitter chats
are live moderated Twitter conversations focused around a specific topic using a single hashtag. They
usually last an hour and involve a list of pre-circulated questions to participants. If you are organizing a chat,
reach out to partners early and provide the list of questions as far in advance as possible.
A Twitterview is an interview conducted through Tweets. For a Twitterview, typically an interviewer asks
questions directly to the interviewee and participants can follow the conversation through an event hashtag.
You may also open up the interview to questions from the audience. Potentially influential speakers might
include researchers, cancer survivors or caregivers, health care providers or other subject matter experts.
Consider using a website to help manage the Twitterview or Twitter chat such as TweetChat or TWUBS.
Promote the event to your followers. Host the event, running it similarly to how you would host a live in-
person meeting (introduce topic, speaker or participating organizations, your organization). Number your
questions starting with a “Q” for question. For example: Q1: Are there alternatives to colonoscopy for colon
cancer screening? #FightCRCChat. Your speaker(s) can either “reply” to the question you Tweet or Tweet
starting with an “A” and the corresponding number. For example: A1: Yes, lots of other options like FIT and
FOBT. Learn more & ask your doc: http://bit.ly/2fFu0OR #FightCRCChat
Retweet or favorite the best questions posed by your followers and answers by your speaker(s) and be sure
to share relevant links and resources. After the event, archive an event summary and share with participants
and your other followers. Consider using Storify to create a visual transcript of the Twitterview or Tweet
chat.
Live Tweet an Event or Conference
Consider live Tweeting a conference or other event related to Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Live
tweeting is a form of notetaking which is online and interactive. During an event, conference, speech or
webinar, organizers and attendees can live tweet and use established hashtags so that everyone following
the event hashtag can see the tweet and reply. During the event you can tweet quotes from speakers, share
pictures of attendees, and retweet messages from the attendees. When quoting speakers make sure to
include their twitter handles to let them know you are promoting their sessions. You can also pre-write
tweets and schedule them to go out during the event if you know when certain parts of the event are
planned to occur.
Host a Facebook Live Event
Facebook Live is a live video streaming service that can be used to connect with your followers in real time.
Facebook Live offers the opportunity to conduct live Q & A’s through the comment function where
followers can ask questions or post commentary during the livestream. You can also use this livestream
service to host an interview or broadcast an event, enabling people to participate in your event even if they
are not able to attend in person.
Pick a date and time. Tell your followers about your livestream event ahead of time. Live broadcasts can last
for up to 4 hours.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 8Promote the event to your followers. Write a compelling description for your event which will show up on
your followers’ newsfeeds along with the video to help people understand what your event is about. You
can also add your location to the broadcast to increase discoverability. Keep track of your audience’s
reactions to gauge how your broadcast is being received.
Share Event Photos on Instagram
Instagram is a photo sharing application that allows users to share pictures, videos, and messages with their
followers. Instagram can be a great platform for increasing engagement with your audience and sharing
your mission through photos. You can use Instagram to share photos from your Colorectal Cancer
Awareness Month events and feature individuals involved with the events such as speakers or volunteers.
You can also share video clips from the events by posting them to your Instagram story. Encourage
followers to share their photos of your events through using a hashtag.
Pick a hashtag. Using hashtags is a way to group and organize photos together. Many users search for
photos in Instagram using hashtags. If you use an established hashtag, your Tweets may reach audiences
that you usually do not reach. If you would like to create your own hashtag, make sure it is short and
intuitive. You can increase visibility of your event by having followers post their photos to Instagram with a
hashtag.
Connect your Instagram to your other social media accounts to cross-promote your activities and increase
engagement with your audience.
Share Your Event on Snapchat
Snapchat is another social media platform to help you share photos and videos with your followers.
Snapchat has over 158 million users with a majority of users under 30 years old (SproutSocial, 2017). You
can share photos and videos individually with followers or share them in your Snapchat story. Photos and
videos in your Snapchat story are visible to followers for 24 hours. You can use the story feature to promote
your event, provide exclusive content such as behind the scenes footage or send a call to action. Share your
story to your local “Our Story” to be featured on Snapchat’s map of stories and gain more visibility.
Utilize Snapchat’s unique features to promote your organization and events. Geofilters are location-based
filters than can be used on photos and videos to further promote your cause as followers can then use these
geofilters in their own posts. In the past, Snapchat has created geofilters for Giving Tuesday and donated to
a designated charity every time someone posted using one of those geofilters. Snapcash is a feature that
allows users to send money through Snapchat which could be a useful tool for soliciting online donations.
Check out this Snapchat guide for more information.
Promote Your Cause on Pinterest
Pinterest is an online tool that can help users discover and organize creative ideas by serving as a vison
board. Pinterest can be used to drive more traffic to your website by adding eye catching images,
infographics, or quotes to your Pinterest boards and linking them to your website. Pinterest boards function
as albums or folders in that they categorize pins for users to peruse. If you are just starting out with Pinterest
it may be good to include general boards showcasing your organization’s mission in addition to adding
event or fundraising boards for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Link your website and other social media accounts to your Pinterest by including them in the profile header
to expand your exposure. If you have a YouTube channel or photo sharing page consider sharing those
videos and photos on Pinterest as well.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 9Publish a Blog Post
Publishing blog posts can be a great way to highlight the successes of your organization and promote your
events. Consider writing a post with a call to action for your readers to attend your events. Personal stories
of patients or survivors, for example, can make for powerful blog posts by connecting with the reader
emotionally. Use visuals such as photos and videos to illustrate your narrative and engage readers.
Create dialogue. Use your blog not only to share stories but also to communicate with your readers and
increase engagement. Ask for audience feedback on your content and promote a space to discuss issues
and share success stories.
Host a Reddit Ask Me Anything
Reddit is a social news aggregation, content rating, and discussion website. An Ask Me Anything (A.M.A.) is
a feature on Reddit where users can interview someone with a notable trait such as a researcher or other
expert through posting questions to the Reddit message board. The A.M.A. begins with the interviewee
posting an introduction about themselves and then users respond with questions and comments. Users can
“upvote” posted questions to indicate that are also interested in knowing the answer to those questions.
A.M.As can be scheduled to start and stop at certain times or be open-ended in duration.
Publicize your A.M.A through your other social media channels to draw more participants.
Best Practices for Engagement Events and Activities
• Plan early and well
• Expand your audience and reach by partnering with another organization
• Make sure you use an original hashtag (unless it makes sense to use an established hashtag)
• Involving well-known local figures may help raise the profile of your event(s) and increase
participation and engagement
MEASURING SUCCESS
Looking to measure the success of your social media campaign? Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram both
offer free analytic tools to allow you to demonstrate the impact of your social media efforts.
Twitter Analytics allows you to see and download detailed tracking information about Tweet activity,
engagement, audience and trends over time. Log in to analytics.twitter.com with your Twitter username and
password to learn more.
Facebook Insights allows users to track page likes, post reach, number of visits, specific posts as well as who
is following your page. According to Facebook, “posts that get more likes, comments and shares show up
more in News Feed and are seen by more people. Posts that are hidden, reported as spam or cause people
to unlike your Page reach fewer people.”
Instagram Insights is available in the app for users who have an Instagram Business Profile. This tool allows
you see overall account metrics, follower demographics, and metrics for your Instagram stories such as
impression, reach, and replies.
Viralwoot helps track Pinterest analytics, schedule pins, promote pins, and gain new followers. This analytics
tool provides statistics about your reach, activity, and engagement scores. It also provides you with an
influence score and tells you what you need to do to boost your Pinterest presence.
Snaplytics allows users to manage their Snapchat stories, Instagram stories, and Instagram accounts and
can help identify the most engaging content across platforms.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 10Klout tracks the influence and reach of your social media profiles and provides a score based on how others
are interacting with your content across multiple networks. It also provides information on your top posts so
you can see what content is generating action from your networks.
ADDITIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES
80% by 2018: Effective Messaging to Reach the Unscreened 2017 Communications Guidebook from the
National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable
80% by 2018: Asian Americans and Colorectal Cancer Companion Guide from the National Colorectal
Cancer Roundtable
80% by 2018: Hispanics/Latinos American Colorectal Cancer Companion Guide from the National
Colorectal Cancer Roundtable
Colorectal Cancer Buttons and Badges from the CDC: Connect visitors on your website or blog to the What
Should I Know about Screening? page.
Owly: Link shortener from Hootsuite
TinyURL: Link shortener that allows for customization of URLs to make them more memorable
Goo.gl: Link shortener that allows for tracking of clicks
Hootsuite, Sprout Social: Online platforms that allow organizations to schedule Tweets and Facebook posts,
keep up with their feed (the posts of those they follow), and collect basic analytics for evaluation
Tweetdeck: Platform from Twitter that allows for pre-scheduling Tweets, including pre-loading photos
Thunderclap: Social networking tool that allows you to “crowdsource” your social media campaign to
increase its impact
Periscope: Live-streaming video app so you can show events or videos live to your audience on social
media
Klout: Service that tracks your organization’s level of online social influence
Canva: Allows users to create visually appealing graphics and photos for social media and print materials;
includes a collection of low-cost or free stock photos and backgrounds
CDC Public Health Image Library (PHIL): Free image library. Search “healthy weight,” “physical activity” or
“nutrition” for relevant results to promote colorectal cancer prevention.
CDC "photostream" on Flickr: Website designed for public image sharing. CDC images include public
health photos and graphics developed for public health events that users can comment on and share.
Search “colorectal cancer” for relevant results.
CDC Infographics: Gallery of CDC-designed infographics to visually communicate data or information
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 11GLOSSARY
Ask Me Anything (A.M.A): A feature of Reddit where users can interview someone through posting
questions to the Reddit message board
Facebook: A social networking site that allows people to create personal profiles and stay connected with
others (www.facebook.com)
Facebook Live: A live video streaming service provided through Facebook
Feed: News feeds which you receive straight into your account
Followers: People who have agreed to receive your Tweets or Facebook posts
Hashtags (#): A form of metadata tag that makes it possible to group messages
Instagram: A photo sharing application that allows users to share pictures and videos to their followers
either publicly or privately to pre-approved followers (https://www.instagram.com/)
Retweet (RT): Re-posting of someone else’s Tweet
Snapchat: an image messaging application where messages auto-delete after set amount of seconds
Tweets: 280-character text messages
Twitter: An online social networking and microblogging service that enables users to send and read short
280-character text messages, called "Tweets" (www.twitter.com)
Twitter chat: A live moderated Twitter conversation focused around a specific topic using a single hashtag
Twitter handle: Your Twitter name that begins with the “@” sign. For example: @GWCancerInst
Twittersphere or Twitterverse: The total universe of Twitter users and their habits
Twitterview: A combination of the terms Twitter, a popular microblogging platform, and interview. It is a
type of interview for which the medium restricts the interviewer and interviewee to short-form responses
See Twitter’s “Twitter Glossary” for more.
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 12REFERENCES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). Colorectal (Colon) Cancer. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015a). CDC Social Media Tools. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/tools/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/tests.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). SocialMediaWorks. Retrieved from
https://cdc.orau.gov/healthcommworks/Account/LogOn?signInArea=SocialMediaWorks#1
Cutrona, S.L., Roblin, D.W., Wagner, J.L., Gaglio, B., Williams, A.E., Torres Stone, R., Field, T.S., & Mazor, K.M. (2013).
Adult willingness to use email and social media for peer-to-peer cancer screening communication: Quantitative
interview study. JMIR Research Protocols, 2(2), e52. doi: 10.2196/resprot.2886
Dillard, A.J. & Main, J.L. (2013). Using a health message with a testimonial to motivate colon cancer screening:
Associations with perceived identification and vividness. Health Education & Behavior 40(6), 673-682.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1090198112473111
Fox, S. (2014, January 15). The social life of health information. Fact Tank: News in the Numbers. Retrieved from
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/15/the-social-life-of-health-information/
Hershkowitz, S. & Lavrusik, V. (2013, May 2). 12 best practices for media companies using Facebook pages. Retrieved
from https://m.facebook.com/notes/facebook-media/12-best-practices-for-media-companies-using-facebook-
pages/518053828230111/
Hootsuite (n.d.). Health care: The 4-step guide to driving greater patient engagement. Retrieved from
https://hootsuite.com/resources/guide/health-care-guide-driving-patient-engagement
Jones, R. M., Woolf, S. H., Cunningham, T. D., Johnson, R. E., Krist, A. H., Rothemich, S. F., & Vernon, S. W. (2010). The
Relative Importance of Patient-Reported Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening. American Journal Of Preventive
Medicine, 38499-507. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2010.01.020
Lipkus, I.M., Green, L.G., & Marcus, A. (2003). Manipulating perceptions of colorectal cancer threat: Implications for
screening intentions and behaviors. Journal of Health Communication, 8, 213-228.
Meppelink, C.S., Smit, E.G., Buurman, B.M., & van Weert, J.C.M. (2015). Should we be afraid of simple messages? The
effects of text difficulty and illustrations in people with low or high health literacy. Health Communication 30(12), 1181-
1189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2015.1037425
Nagelhout, E., Comarell, K., Samadder, N., & Wu.,Y. (2017) Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Racially
Diverse Population Served by a Safety-Net Clinic. Journal of Community Health 42(4): 791-796.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0319-6
National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. (2015). 80% by 2018: Effective messaging to reach the unscreened 2015
communications guidebook. Retrieved from http://nccrt.org/tools/80-percent-by-2018/80-by-2018-communications-
guidebook/
Pew Research Center. (2017). Social media fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-
networking-fact-sheet/
Rohan, E.A., Boehm, J.E., DeGroff, A., Glover-Kudon, R., and Priessle, J. (2013). Implementing CDC’s Colorectal
Cancer Screening Demonstration Program: Wisdom from the Field. Cancer, 119(S15): 2870-2883,
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 13Twitter Government and Elections Team. (2014). The Twitter government and elections handbook. Retrieved from
https://media.twitter.com/gov_handbook
Weaver, K.E., Ellis, S.D., Denizard-Thompson, N., Kronner, & D., Miller, D. (2015). Crafting appealing text messages to
encourage colorectal cancer screening test completion: A qualitative study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth.3(4), e100.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.4651
@GWCancer #CompCancer #ColorectalCancer #ColorectalCancerMonth 14You can also read
